George Dickel Math

OK, we just passed the fourth anniversary of the reopening of the Cascade Hollow distillery. Assuming it took them a little time to make charcoal we may still be short of them having any four year old whisky (sic) in barrels.

Unless I am missing something, there's a gap in their warehouses from four years to eight years. They may be using young whisky in their No. 12, but I think I read somewhere that four is their minimum.

That means that in the No. 12 bottled earlier this year is at worst 8 yo, or they've slipped some 3 yo or younger in there.

I was told when I took the tour last December that they were not going to be bottling the No. 8 for a while due to dwindling supplies, but they have been bottling it in recent years.

The No. 8 bottle in the last few years may even be a minimum of 6 yo.

So is this the best time ever to buy Dickel, both the No. 8 and the No. 12? Or are they now forced to make No. 12 with barrels they would have passed to the No. 8 in the past?

It just seems that the distillery being closed for four years should provide us with some sort of opportunity.

Re: George Dickel Math

I bought a pint of the current #12 recently, to compare it to the 70's one I had brought to Sampler. I thought the 70's one was better by a fair margin, but I also thought that the #12 was very creditable with not as much of the "vitamins"-like taste that put me off some years ago. I would buy the #12 again and I find it, frankly, much better than a lot of bourbon selling for far more.

Re: George Dickel Math

I agree, the current #12 is a very pleasant whiskey at a very reasonable price. And thanks for bringing down that 70's bottle, it was quite good and a fun comparison.

On a similar note, I put a couple 70's vintage Beam white label miniatures on the Gazebo table. I find the current offering to be a cruel joke, but the vintage samples are perfectly drinkable. I hope someone actually tasted them...

Re: George Dickel Math

I have no reason not to believe what the folks at the distillery say, but just remember that there is no age statement on the label, so the whiskey in the bottle is whatever it needs to be to match the taste profile. Yes, there is a gap in their inventory, during which no whiskey was made, which may for any given bottling batch pose some challenges in terms of matching the profile, which is why they cranked the place up when they did. Beyond that, no one should worry too much about the "math."

That said, I think it's fair to assume that no whiskey made since the reopening has been bottled yet.

Who's foolin' whom here?..

With the recent acknowledgement of 3yo Dickel Cascade Hollow whiskey by Diageo/George Dickel, and the reduction in production of #8 black-label, I've been thinking it odd that I haven't yet seen it around here. Then, Joel (TNsquire) stopped by the liquor store tonight during my shift to deliver some 'goods', and we happened to be conversing while standing next to the Dickel facings. Joel looks down and asks, "Have they changed the #8's label?", and we both bent over to study the seemingly-new red markings, which read: "Cascade Hollow".
A few moments of silence followed, on my part because I knew that was the display of Dickel #8, and we'd never ordered (or heard of, till last week) any "Cascade Hollow". Quickly digging, I also found some #8 black-label at the back of the row. Going to the database, I discovered we'd last ordered that size in September -- so we've unknowingly had "Cascade Hollow" on the shelf for almost three months. How could THAT happen, you ask?
See for yourself:Dickel blacks.jpg

You'll notice, I'm sure, the close resemblance between the labels, with only the red lettering, letter shading/color, and the 3yo vertical age statement (left) -- as the only differences. Seems there's at least one Dickel distributor in Tennessee who is selling "Cascade Hollow" as George Dickel #8. I'm willing to bet he doesn't even know it (or, at least, the salesmen don't). It's priced the same as the #8, too -- which brings to mind the question of where the #8 will be priced when it resumes its place in the market.
Anyway, while Dickel #8 is still out there, check those bottles carefully before taking them to the counter. Either Diageo/Dickel or one Tennessee liquor distributor is shading some truth here.

Re: George Dickel Math

Tim, this is most interesting, thanks. The color of the new one looks lighter (even allowing for how display screens show these and the way the pictures were shot).

Since this whiskey undergoes a form of pre-aging, i.e., the charcoal leaching process, giving it three years in the barrel may be enough to impart good maturity.

It would be interesting to have taste notes comparing the two, but I'd wager the new one is pretty good and (for the historically minded) it might resemble the bulk of late 1800's Tennessee aged whiskey.